1. Field of the Invention
Our invention is directed to spray bottles and similar containers from which fluids are drawn through a tube or the like and dispensed. More specifically, our invention is directed to an improved system for removing fluid from containers through flexible tubing. In the system, a weighted member is secured to the distal end of the flexible tubing such that the weighted member pulls the distal end of the tubing toward the lowest point of the container, even when the container is shifted, rotated, tilted, inverted, and the like. More specifically, our invention is directed to novel designs, of weighting systems and clamps for securing such weighting systems to the flexible tubing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional spray bottles include a container for holding a fluid, with a spraying mechanism secured to the opening of the container. The spraying mechanism is generally threadingly engaged with the opening of the container to prevent fluid, other than that being sprayed, from exiting the container. The spray is created when fluid from the bottle is forced through a spray nozzle on the spraying mechanism. The forced fluid is usually provided by a pump powered by a trigger controlled by a user's finger. The squeezing of the trigger causes the pump to draw fluid from the container through a tube extending down into the container. Such configurations are well known and an example of the same may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,342 (incorporated herein by reference).
Traditionally, the tube extending into the container is semi-rigid and extends to just above the bottom of the container so that an opening in the tube is suspended close to the bottom of the container. When the fluid level in the container diminishes, the container often must be held at a precise angle (or relative position in space) so that the opening in the end of the tube reaches the fluid. Once the fluid level drops even farther, a user may find that no positioning of the container will allow the opening of the tube to reach the remaining fluid.
To overcome these drawbacks, a flexible tube may be used in place of the semi-rigid tube. A flexible tube may be provided with a greater length so that the open end of the tube reaches into corners of the container, particularly when the container is tilted such that the remaining fluid pools in the corner. To aid the open end of the tube in reaching lower levels and corners of the container, a weight may be secured near the open end of the tube so that gravity pulls the weighted end of the tube through the fluid toward the lowest point in the container.
With this improved configuration, less of the fluid in the container is wasted. In addition, the spray bottle may be held at angles/positions (i.e., upside down, sideways, etc.) at which traditional spray bottles fail to work properly due to fluid pooling away from the open end of the semi-rigid tube.
Nevertheless, spray bottles utilizing flexible tubes also suffer from certain drawbacks. For instance, the fluids used in these containers are often cleaning solutions, which may have properties that cause the tubing to swell or become slippery. Those conditions may cause the weight to slip off the tubing, if those elements are not properly secured to each other. In addition, the weight may bang into the sides of the container causing unwanted noise and vibration. Also, if the size of both the weighting mechanism and the tube or the fluid intake nozzle secured thereto are not properly proportioned, the system will not achieve maximum efficiency for reaching small amounts of fluid pooling in the corners of containers.
Our invention overcomes these drawbacks by introducing novel weighting mechanisms and clamps for securing the flexible tubes to those weighting mechanisms.